MSF-USA: News for the Week of September 14, 1998

September 14, 1998
News for the Week of September 14, 1998

Aid to Flood Victims in Northern Sudan

In addition to ongoing famine relief efforts in southern Sudan, MSF has begun aiding victims of the severe flooding in northern Sudan. Over 100,000 people have been affected by the floods brought on by extremely heavy rainfall that has washed away houses, bridges, and roads, and destroyed crops. MSF teams working in displaced persons camps around Khartoum are preparing to fight a possible cholera outbreak. Cholera assessments are being made in Blue Nile and Gedaref provinces where MSF is already operating emergency nutrition programs.

Emergency Assistance to Wounded in Cambodia Unrest

MSF teams working in Cambodia were on hand to treat victims of the government crackdown on demonstrators in Phnom Penh last week. After government leader Hun Sen's ultimatum to protesters on Monday, MSF volunteers carried away several wounded. Country manager Maurits van Pelt noted, "Our neutrality is recognized by both the demonstrators and the government." MSF has been working in Cambodia since 1989 to help the Ministry of Health implement a basic health care program for the country.

Exploratory Team Sent to Eastern Congo

Although MSF has evacuated much of its foreign staff from eastern Congo due to heavy fighting in recent weeks, an exploratory team was mounted this week to visit Goma via Kigali, Rwanda. The team will assess the humanitarian needs and security situation in the region. In operating long-term initiatives to fight AIDS, sleeping sickness and other diseases in the former Zaire, MSF has been working in the Congo to rehabilitate the nation's primary health care system, which was destroyed by 30 years of civil strife.

European Campaign on Behalf of Kosovar Refugees

Alarmed by the increasing number of refugees from Kosovo living on the streets of Belgium and Germany, MSF offices in Europe have launched a campaign to press the international community to face the refugee problem and seek a solution for the current crisis in Kosovo. This initiative follows threats of forced repatriation of remaining Bosnian refugees to make room for new refugees fleeing from violence brought on by recent Serbian offensives against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.